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Jun 13 Thank you for breastfeeding - Part 4

One of my current writing projects is a semi-autobiographical play about my pregnancy experience. This excerpt includes a dialogue between two expectant mothers--one is coming to terms with her inevitable C-Section while the other helps her devise ways to make it more 'family friendly', from bacterial christening to placenta tinctures. Did you try any of these methods?

Eliza - Expectant mother in her mid-thirtiesBecca - Friend of Eliza's, also pregnant

It is late afternoon. Eliza is about 36 weeks pregnant and is baking a cake while her friend sits at the kitchen table with a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water.

Becca: I’m so sorry your birth plan--

Eliza: Has imploded?

Becca: At least you’ll get to schedule the C-Section. I hear emergency ones are way worse. Paul will be there right?

Eliza: Yeah. He’s not phased at all. A fluorescent pink stork could deliver our baby and he’d be happy. He just doesn’t get it.

Becca: I’m dealing with the same thing at home. Tom keeps saying, “why suffer if you don’t have to? Just get the damn epidural.” But I want to be fully present for the whole birth. I want my body to tell me when to push, not a nurse.

Eliza: You’ll do great.

Becca: I hope so.

Eliza: It’s a lot better for the baby too.

Becca: It’s never made any sense to me. I’ve worked so hard to eat all of the right things, avoid alcohol, find herbal cold remedies and then right at the end it’s supposedly OK to pump my body full of drugs. I don’t get it.

Eliza: I’ve been looking up ways to make it more family-friendly.

Becca: The surgery?

Eliza: Yeah.

Becca: Is there such a thing?

Eliza: Well, have you ever heard of seeding?

Becca: I don’t think so. [takes a sip of water] What’s that?

Eliza: In Australia I guess it’s becoming popular to swab vaginal fluids from the birth canal on babies after they’re pulled out. It’s got something to do with creating a healthy microbiome for the baby. [pause] Helps their immune system develop.